The battle for the Akure South/North bye-election to fill the vacant seat in the House of Representatives is gathering momentum with more aspirants, especially from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring interest in the contest.

The seat became vacant following the death of PDP lawmaker, Omolafe Adedayo, on August 16, 2021, barely two years after he was sworn in.

Sentry gathered that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu desires that his party should win the bye-election and is ready to work to achieve that goal. “He is telling whoever cares to listen that APC will field the most popular candidate for the election. He is not listening to calls for imposition. As at the last count, PDP had eight aspirants in the race, among them serving and former lawmakers,’ a source said.

Read Also: They want to blackmail my son, says Akeredolu

But investigation revealed that to achieve his aim, the governor must take cognizance of two major factors and address them in good time. According to a reliable source, “The constituency can conveniently be described as a stronghold of PDP, though Akeredolu’s performance has endeared him to the people in recent times.”

“Secondly, the governor must ensure that the nomination process of APC is managed in such a way that there is no crisis afterwards, given the weight of aspirants currently interested in the party’s ticket.”

Checks by Sentry revealed that contenders in the party include former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Sunday Abegunde, former Commissioner, Mrs. Omowunmi Ohwovoriole and prominent party chieftain, Femi Fadairo.

Sentry 

Two weeks ago, Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, faulted the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary conducted in Anambra State. He described the results as a ‘total fabrication.’

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, who chaired the APC primary election committee, had announced that former Senator Andy Uba won the contest. He was said to have scored 230,201 votes, beating 13 other aspirants to emerge as the flagbearer.

On the day of the primary election, 11 of the 14 APC governorship aspirants claimed that the June 26 primary in the state did not hold. But it appears the national leadership of the party is satisfied with the announced outcome.

Read Also; Ngige’s sermon on the mount, by Femi Adesina

Surprisingly, Ngige, who is leader of the party in the state, has kept mute over the election, leaving many of his supporters to wonder if he has accepted the disputed outcome.

Speaking to Sentry during the week, one of the gubernatorial aspirants confessed that Ngige’s silence was worrisome. “We are worried he is no longer talking. We rely very much on him to ensure this injustice is reversed,” he said.

A chieftain of the party also wondered what could be happening. “I cannot say exactly what is happening. It is true our leader is silent for now but it may not be correct to say the issue has been resolved,” he said.

But a source within the Minister’s inner circle told Sentry that the former governor’s silence was calculated. “His silence is speaking louder than noise to those who should hear him. Ngige is not one to fight aimlessly. Complaints have been sent where they ought to be sent and it is normal to hold our peace and see what happens,” he said.

Sentry 

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, urgently needs to pay more attention to the murmurings of some members of his All Progressives Congress (APC) if his now obvious plan to seek re-election in 2023 is to play out without much problem.

Sentry gathered that in spite of the commendable efforts of the Remo-born governor to take care of party members and people of the state, some APC chieftains are feeling side-tracked.

Sources within the party, many of whom said most things causing the grievances are unknown to the governor, told Sentry that some allies and aides of the governor are using his name to persecute others.

Read Also; Kwara APC factions trade words over Gov AbdulRazaq, Lai Mohammed

“That is why you still find people complaining in spite of the governor’s effort to unite the party and satisfy the greatest number with his approach to governance and policies. Abiodun needs to be warned about these persecutions going on behind his back,” one source said.

Sentry learnt that many members of sub-groups within the party like SIA group, Believe Movement and Matagbamole group among many others are unhappy as we speak. The Believe Movement, which is loyal to Gboyega Isiaka, in a communique issued Thursday, charged Abiodun to promote equity and fairness within the party. The accused some people of sabotaging efforts of numerous loyal party members.

Earlier in the week, at a meeting in Sagamu, members of the SIA group accused some allies of the governor of using his name to marginalise Amosun’s loyalists. Sentry can only hope Abiodun will heed these warning signs and take action.

Sentry 

If you are one of those overjoyed by the recent rumour of a ‘very serious rift’ between former Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, and the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), this is for you.

Ihedioha and Imo PDP say there’s no problem between them at all. If anything, the party and the former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker insist they are busy plotting their return to Government House as soon as possible.

Read Also: Imo PDP denies face-off with Ihedioha over Kanu

Stories about a looming face-off between the former governor and the leadership of the party in the state over the re-arrest of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, went viral during the week with opposition party chieftains claiming Imo PDP is about disintegrating. But the party has issued a disclaimer. Similarly, the former governor, Ihedioha has been denying the claims as false and unfounded.

PDP’s rebuttal, contained in a statement by Publicity Secretary, Ogubundu Nwadike, stated that Ihedioha has never had any dealings with Kanu. It said there was no betrayal and thus no fallout over a U-turn on Kanu’s re-arrest.

He said: “Talking about Ihedioha betraying Kanu is irresponsible propaganda and blackmail that failed on arrival. That makes insensible and meaningless the warped thought of “Imo PDP falls out with Emeka Ihedioha over u-turn on Nnamdi Kanu re-arrest”. There can’t be a u-turn when there was never a drive out.”

Sentry

Last Tuesday, Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle switched from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), ending months of speculation about his intentions.

But the fanfare that saw him being welcomed to APC at the Gusau Trade Fair Complex by governors, ministers and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, could not hide a looming political face-off between him and some of his erstwhile allies, among them his deputy, Mahdi Aliyu.

Sentry gathered the governor’s decision may have escalated a crisis that was being managed before now.

It is no longer news that Aliyu will not be going to APC with his boss. What can now be revealed is that they have been at loggerheads over Matawalle’s defection plot for months.

“One major thing that delayed the governor’s move is the refusal of his deputy to buy into the defection plot all along,” a source said. The governor’s political family is sharply divided over the matter. “Many of our leaders are not happy with his move and they told him so,’ another source added.

Read Also: APC, PDP, APGA set for Anambra governorship

The governor’s men are currently losing sleep over what many described as the deputy governor’s ‘rapport’ with majority of the state legislators. “Many things will start happening from now; even the governor knows Aliyu is not a pushover politically. If you add his family background in Zamfara, you will understand what I mean,” the source said.

While the governor said his decision is part of his plans to move the state forward, Aliyu, son of a former Minister of Defence, Aliyu Gusau, said he chose to remain with the PDP to honour the mandate given to the party by the Supreme Court.

For now, all eyes are on Zamfara Government House.

Anambra 2021: A Dibia in the race

These are very interesting times in Anambra State as the November 6, 2021 governorship election draws closer. Not only are two blood brothers, Drs. Andy and Ugochukwu Uba, poised to confront each other as candidates of opposing parties, a popular herbalist and native doctor, better called Dibia in Igbo, has clinched the ticket of one of the political parties to contest.

The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), on Wednesday elected Nnamdi Nwanwuo, as its standard-bearer. “Before now, he was more known for his feats as a native doctor than for anything that has to do with governance or politics. But with his victory at the primary election, he has proven he is a serious politician,” a former state lawmaker told Sentry.

Announcing Nwanwuo as the winner, National Secretary of the party, Babatunde Ali, described him as someone well-acquainted with the grassroots and the man for the job. He said: “He knows them and they know him. The PRP’s flag is the next flag to be hoisted at the government house. He will defeat the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Well, the people will soon decide which of three ‘doctors’ in the race they prefer as governor.

Sentry 

Sources close to former Senate President Bukola Saraki told Sentry that the Ilorin-born politician is currently happier than he has been in the recent past.

They claim his new found happiness may not be unconnected with the 2023 general elections. “The senator is a very happy man. He is glad that his party the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is finding its feet gradually and returning to winning ways,” a source said.

It was also gathered that the former Kwara State governor is very pleased with the results of the efforts of the National Reconciliation Committee of the PDP which he chairs. Aside that, the recent victory of the opposition party in a bye election in Kaduna State has added to his optimism as the 2023 general elections draws nearer.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) last weekend declared Usman Baba of the PDP winner of the bye-election for Sabon Gari Constituency in the Kaduna State House of Assembly.

An elated Saraki wasted no time before taking to his Twitter handle to celebrate the result and assure members of the party that with its new found unity of purpose, PDP is ready to return to power come 2023.

Sentry 

After many months of permutations, allegations, denials, face-offs and resolutions, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the obvious anointed candidate of incumbent Governor Willy Obiano, last Wednesday, emerged candidate of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State.

Soludo scored a total of 740 votes out of 792 valid votes cast by delegates. But that is not the gist. Sentry gathered that with the emergence of Soludo, Obiano has succeeded in forcing his desire on many APGA big guns within and outside the state who had opposed his choice of the retired banker.

What is left to be seen is how these bullied and now aggrieved party leaders will react to the alleged imposition and the effect this would have on the party’s performance at the poll.

Already the crisis within the party has been deepened with the announcement of the suspension of Soludo from the party by a faction of APGA. A couple of party chieftains have also resolved to challenge his candidacy in court.

But Obiano is busy congratulating Soludo for his victory and calling on genuine party faithful to support him. It appears he’s not bothered by the growing noise regarding his exploits with his anointed.

Soludo is banking on Obiano and Dr. Victor Oye, national chairman of APGA to calm frayed nerves and bring the party together ahead of the elections. How soon they are able to do this will surely impact on the candidate’s chances in November.